Former fast bowling all-rounder of England, Andrew Flintoff has requested England to drop “anyone” from the squad to give a place to Jofra Archer in their World Cup squad. Jofra Archer showed his ability and talent while making his debut for One Day International and T20I debuts for England after finishing a three-year residency period. He was in a great form in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) for Rajasthan Royals. Unfortunately, his team failed to qualify for the playoffs.
Archer can bowl yorkers in 145 km/h as well as good in slower bowling. He will be featured in England’s upcoming One Day International series against Pakistan which is scheduled to start at the Oval on Wednesday. This series will be crucial for him to get selected in the World Cup squad. However, his talent impressed Andrew Flintoff a lot. Even, he shared that he is a fan of the “unbelievable” Archer.
“I was watching him bowl the other day and I found it so frustrating that a bloke can bowl so fast with what looks like so little effort,” Flintoff said.
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Flintoff thinks Archer should get a place in England’s final 15 members for the World Cup.
“You ask who I would get rid of? Anyone,” he added. “I think he’s brilliant. I know there’s a thing about him qualifying but we’ve done that for a number of years. When I was a kid we were watching Robin Smith (born in South Africa) and were waiting on Graeme Hick (born in Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe) to play (for England). We’ve had KP (Kevin Pietersen, born in South Africa) so it’s not a new thing,” said the 41-year-old Flintoff.
“But watching the lad bowl,” he said of Archer “For someone to bowl that quick so easily, with so much control, all the tricks — slower balls, bouncers, yorkers — he’s got to be in hasn’t he?” he added.
However, England failed to do much in all three of Andrew Flintoff’s World Cup campaigns.
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“I played in three World Cups and didn’t get through the group stages, even though they didn’t pass without incident!” jokingly said Flintoff.
“It would be nice to see an England side do something now. Going into it you look at the sides and we’re up there with the favourites aren’t we? For years when I played it was ‘Sri Lanka have won the World Cup with a pinch hitter let’s get a (Sanath) Jayasuriya at the top of the order.’ Australia were doing well with Adam Gilchrist, ‘let’s try and do what they do’. We were always chasing the game. I think now we’ve found the best England one-day team we’ve seen,” he further added.
However, England will start their World Cup campaign against South Africa on May 30 at Kennington Oval, London.
